Speech synthesizer

A speech synethesizer for producing speech by connecting phonemes together, comprising:

• phoneme memory means, said phoneme memory means containing an ordered arrangement of data storage regions of equal and fixed capacity, each said region storing data representative of one of voiced and voiceless phonemes, said data being stored in said ordered arrangement in the sequence of occurrence of said phonemes in natural speech;
• word control memory, said word control memory storing groups of control information necessary for synthesizing sound from said stored phoneme data, particular control information being provided to said phoneme memory means to regulate the synthesizing of phoneme data from each said data region, each said group of control information including at least amplitude, pitch and repetition information;
• speech generator, said generator receiving phoneme data from said phoneme memory means in a phoneme data sequence controlled by said control memory information and outputting audible signals;
• and
• a word designator, said word designator selecting a first region in said phoneme memory means to provide first phoneme data to said speech generator, and selecting a first group of controlled information from said word control memory to regulate said phoneme memory means in the synthesization of a speech signal from said first phoneme data, said first region storing phoneme data of the initial portion of the synthesized audible output.